When are you required to stop for a school bus?

You are required to stop for a school bus when its lights are flashing and the stop sign is extended because this indicates that children are either boarding or disembarking from the bus. The flashing lights serve as a warning to other drivers that they need to slow down and prepare to stop for pedestrians who may be moving to or from the bus. This is a critical safety measure designed to protect children while they are near school buses, as they can be difficult for drivers to see. It’s essential for drivers to adhere to this rule to ensure the safety of students and help prevent accidents.

In other scenarios, such as when a bus is parked on the side of the road without its warning lights activated, or when no children are present, stopping is not necessarily required. Similarly, stopping only when other vehicles have stopped does not align with the law as the focus should always be on the signals from the bus itself, rather than the actions of other drivers.